Jun 11 2012

Recipe for Dignity – a tribute

I wrote this ‘recipe for dignity’ to honor my parents, who are both deceased.  They lived a simple and very dignified life, and it’s how I am trying to live mine.  I have passed on the wisdom as best as I can to my son.

I have been engaged in a full-time job search for my next adventure.  This experience has led to much self-introspection, humility, and humiliation.  I re-learned to appreciate many things, but above all, I am grateful for the life lessons and wisdom that my parents, especially my mother, imparted upon me and my siblings.  It has come in handy throughout my search.

Why would I write about dignity?  It is because we don’t practice enough of it, evidenced by several individuals I have come across recently who have behaved abominably. My experiences remind me that each and every person I meet deserves to be treated with dignity, and that I role model dignity.

Hence, my parent’s recipe follows; they truly had their ingredients mixed correctly.

The Recipe

Begin with a foundation of integrity and honesty.

Throw several cups of respect, kindness, generosity.

Now add empathy and compassion.

Add listen to hear and be heard, to understand.

Blend in gratefulness and acceptance others differing gifts.

Mix altogether.

Be sure to throw love in.

Mix some more.

Then add plenty courage. and mix it all again.

It is starting to somewhat come together!

But something is still missing…it doesn’t quite look right.

So, let’s add a layer of give-back to the community and to others.

Top with help to those who are down.

Finally, frost it with Live Life Passionately and Passionately Live Life.

There – I think we have it.  Mix again. Savor the outcome.

Now, role model it for all to see/enjoy/whatever you want to do with the recipe idea.

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Jun 9 2012

Impromptu Dinner

Impromptu – a very simple meal

Small group of us gathered at my house for an impromptu dinner.  We started with a 1988 Krug champagne and medjool dates stuffed with chorizo wrapped in bacon.  Dinner menu was dry rub baby back ribs, grilled asparagus with dry roasted sesame dressing and seared fresh scallops in butter with a smidgen of sea salt and lime juice.  Dinner paired with a 1989 Chateau La Fleur-Petrus Pomerol which went well with the ribs.  Finished the meal with fresh pineapple upside down cake and strawberries romanoff.  Yum…    Very simple dinner.

 

Dry Rub Baby Back Ribs

  • 2-3 racks baby back pork ribs, depends how much you want to cook
  • 1/4 cup sweet paprika
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Preparation

  1. Prepare the ribs and rub.   Remove the thin, papery skin from the back of each rack of ribs.
  2. Combine the paprika, black pepper, brown sugar, salt, celery salt, cayenne, garlic powder, dry mustard, and cumin in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Rub  three quarters of this mixture over the ribs on both sides, then transfer the ribs to the roasting pan you will use for baking. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
  3. Next day, roast covered with foil at 300° for 2 hours.  After 2 – 2 1/2  hours, finish on the bbq grill till cooked through or continue roasting for another 30 minutes or longer till done. Use the remaining rub to sprinkle over the ribs, if desired.

Strawberries Romanoff

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  •  1 tablespoon  grand marnier or brandy
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 cups fresh strawberries

Directions

1. Mix sour cream, brown sugar, vanilla or grand marnier  in a bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, whip cream until starts to thickin, add sugar–whip until thick

3. Fold cream into sour cream mixture and blend well

4. Serve with fresh strawberries, whole or sliced.

Fresh Pineapple Upside Down Cake

  • 1 fresh pineapple
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ stick butter
  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

Peel, quarter, core and slice the pineapple as evenly as you can 1/3 inch thick.

In a pan that can go from stovetop to oven or use an iron skillet, butter the sides and bottom of the pan with the ½ stick of butter.  Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over bottom of the pan.  Layer the pineapple on top, whatever pattern you feel like.  Add the vanilla bean pod and seeds.  Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or till pineapple is tender. Remove the bean pod.

The cake

  • 1 stick butter
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt

While the pineapple is cooking, preheat oven to 350°.

In a bowl, whisk ¼ of  the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla.  Set aside.  In another bowl, fitted with a paddle, beat on very slow speed  the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the stick of butter and remaining ¼ cup of  sour cream and beat at low speed until smooth, then beat at medium speed until fluffy.  Add the sour cream-egg mixture you had set aside earlier and beat again until fluffy.

Spoon the batter over the pineapple and spread it evenly.  Bake for about 40 miutes, until the cake is deep golden.  Let cool for 5 minutes on a rack.  Run a knife around the edge of the cake, invert it onto a plate and remove the pan.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

May 11 2012

Colors for right brain – Sonoma Horticulture Nursery

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Girlfriends and I decided we needed to infuse our right brain with beauty and scent of fresh baked bread.  First stop, Wild Flour Bread Bakery, where we feasted on scones.  Next stop, the Sonoma Horticulture Nursery where we  picnicked among the shrubs and flowers on chicken salad, habanero chicken wings, fruit, bread, cheese.  No, we didn’t have wine as we had an afternoon of wine tasting yet to go.  We enjoyed the scenery and the wines at Lynmar.  We ended the day with a most wonderful dinner at Central Market in Petaluma.  It was a day for pure decadence.

May 11 2012

Sake and Champagne Dinner

OK, I am finally getting around to remembering to post the recipes.  We had wasabi peas and mixed nuts with the tiny dried fish to wake up our palates. Dinner began with the usual ritual:  champagne.  We started with the 1990 Taittinger Collection which was still vibrant.  We followed that with the Rene Collard Ultime which is a very dry champagne but paired well with the food.  Then the Veuve Cliquot 1985 Rose, still holding well.  Concurrently opened the 2010 Rochioli Sauvingnon Blanc.  Gang was not into drinking champagne and sake that evening so we only opened the Kirin-Zan Kirin Mountain Junmai Dai-Ginjo sake.  This is ultra smooth, silky and went well wit the menu!  You can buy this at True Sake in San Francisco.  They have fantastic inventory and the people are very nice.  Gang preferred to quench with reds so we went through a 2004 Rochioli West Block, 1995 Chateau Montelena Estate cabernet, and a 2004 Parry Cellars. Our menu was garlic shrimp crostini, mango-avocado salad, miso skirt steak, stuffed, boneless drumstick, grilled asparagus with roasted sesame dressing, Nobu miso style salmon, Filipino style bbq pork skewers, yam and shitake mushroom rice, chocolate bouchon, lemon tart and matcha tea cake. See recipes tab.

May 10 2012

Vietnam – Hoi An, foodies’ paradise

We loved Hoi An.  It is a foodie’s paradise.  It is bordered on one side with beaches that are clean.  The town is small and can walk the entire area…great exercise and every turn, there is a foodie’s place to discover or try.  The first evening we went to a restaurant that was 20 minutes to the beach by taxi.  We literally sat at a table on the beach, sand  our floor.  We had food that was heavenly.  Abraham had a French burger and my cynical side, “what, we came here for you to have a burger?”  He replied, “Mom, it is a French burger.”  It finally arrived and it looked sumptuous.  It was minced sirloin, sitting on a small French bread, with cheese and a soft fried egg that oozed with each bite.  He said it was the best burger he had ever eaten.  I had baked camembert with different herbs.  That was so delicious and it was also the owner’s favorite dish.  The balmy sea air, lovely food and the setting made a perfect introduction to a foodies adventure for the next few days.

Early the next day we embarked on a foodie tour:  Taste of Hoi An Street Food Tour with Neville Dean, an Aussie who retired in Hoi An.  This was the highlight of Vietnam.  Neville was a fantastic guide and storyteller.  His wife was so nice to all of us.  We ate so much and visited some incredible places.  Abraham found the place where Anthony Bourdain ate Banh Mi Xa Xiu.  He must have devoured at least 10 of these during the time we were there..why not, it was like 50 cents each.

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Our tour group had people from Lat Am, Europe and the U.S.  The couple from the U.S.  had sold everything they had to take a year off and travel around the world, one foodie restaurant or event at a time.  Everyone had such interesting backgrounds and passions.  The couple that we endeared to our hearts came from Argentina.  They have a restaurant Buenos Aires  and Christina does all the cooking.  They also have a very romantic story of how they met.  They are  serious foodies.  Christina travels Southeast Asia in search of new ideas she can use in her cooking for the restaurant.  Check out their blog and story, Cocina Sunae and the local tours, BAlocl.com.   Abraham and I plan on visiting them in the near future.

One evening Christina, Franco, Abraham and I headed off to find a restaurant called The End of the World…it could have been the end of the world as it was difficult to find and the taxi had to back up to it so he could get out.  This restaurant is famous for it’s stuffed squid.  Many Michelin star chefs go there to eat.  It really was fabulous.  We had other seafood that evening and we couldn’t believe how inexpensive it was.  It was a lovely way to close the day.

It was very hard to leave Hoi An.  It was perfect weather, people very nice and no matter where you ate, food was good.  We will go back…thanks to my friend Marion and Haney for insisting we visit the place.

May 10 2012

Vietnam – Halong Bay, Hanoi

After the very hot and humid weather of Cambodia, Hanoi welcomed us with rain and cold.  We were both tired from the day’s adventure in Cambodia so opted to eat at the hotel lobby. The next day we met our driver and guide for a long trip to Halong Bay.  The traffic was congested, with scooters everywhere.  It was fascinating to watch the scooters weaving in and out between cars and pedestrians.  Hanoi is steeped in French architecture.  After 4 long hours, finally reached Halong Bay.  The dock area was already filled with tourists waiting for their boats to arrive.  I had booked us a private one so when it arrived, it seemed huge without too many people.  There was the cook, owner and one other person, me, Abraham and our guide.

Halong Bay

We sailed out to Halong Bay, mist shrouding overhead.  It was also very cold. The rock formations or I called little mountains rose majestically from the water for us to get peeks as it was not a clear day.  We stopped at a small fishing village, docked and took a little tiny dinghy for sightseeing.

Halong Bay

I am sure if it had been a sunny day, that the scenery would have been spectacular.  I have a fear of deep water but I forced myself to get into this dinghy.  I found out that my son gets claustrophobic when he cannot see below.  He too forced himself to focus on photo opportunities.

Back in Hanoi, we went to all the tourist attractions, including viewing Ho Chi Minh’s body.  We walked the streets of Hanoi, practicing walking across streets, trying not to get run down by the scooters.  Our guide took us to this silk store, only to walk through to the back….of course I was thinking:  what is he getting us into now, more selling of products..NO, he led us to an alley that ended into a kitchen area, inside a beautiful French architect building.  We ascended a spiral stairway to the seating area and further to the roof for Hanoi city viewing.  Abraham headed there to add to his photo library.  This place’s specialty was Vietnamese coffee with whipped egg whites.  Abraham was on a quest for the best Pho and Vietnamese coffee.  So far he had not found either till this time.   It was fun to watch my son enjoy himself with the street vendor foods and his quest for coffee.  This trip was proving to be more and more interesting as I saw another side to my already complex artist son.  I never realized what a foodie he has turned out to be.

Abrahm and his shisa

We ended our visit to Hanoi with an incredible dinner at Bobby Chinn’s restaurant.  Abraham kept saying he was in heaven.  Each dish opened our taste buds to new tastes, anticipating the next dish.  Bobby has created a beautiful atmosphere that satiates all the senses.  It also helped that he had red all over, my favorite color.  The service, the food, the wait staff, the physical layout all contributed to an evening that Abraham and I will always remember.  A mother and son moment that will be passed on.

May 2 2012

Ruins of Angkor – Cambodia

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We had done Bhaking Hill already so the next few days, we visited several ruins, rode on an elephant, then on foot to the temple of the Leper King.  By 11 AM,  each day I was ready to faint from heat, humidity, exhaustion and pain.  I went back to the hotel whilst Abraham went to try local food and his own discoveries.  One afternoon we visited Ta Phrom.  This was our favorite…Tomb Raiders was filmed here.  The trees, roots were awesome.  The next day, we climbed to the top of the temple at Angkor Wat.  I was not going to climb those darn steep stairs but Abraham said, “Mom, look at those old ladies, they are going and if they can do it, so can you.”  I climbed, left leg in pain with the pinched nerve every 2 steps.  We did make it to the very top…a beautiful view.  Everyone who has visited Angkor Wat has described it as magnificent, beautiful.  I am in awe and wonder how the heck did they build these with these massive blocks of stone, precisely cut.  Abraham and I will always remember the ruins and the people of Siem Reap/Angkor.  Oh…those old ladies, they didn’t climb..they were just standing there!

Apr 29 2012

Cambodia: Sunrise and Sunset at Angkor Wat

At 5 AM, our driver took us to Angkor Wat where we joined at least a few hundred others.  It was dark but I had my miniature flashlight to light the way  as we cautiously made our way to the lagoon area to wait patiently for the sun to greet us.

The area was already very crowded.  Many people were already homesteading their perfect camera view.  They must have arrived at 4:30 AM.  I walked around, wandered to an area  where very few people gathered.  That view was actually better.  I stood, camera poised, listening to the stories being described around me.  One person said that his mother had been to Angkor Wat a few years ago and she was the only one there to view the sunrise.  Many young couples were sitting in front of me, holding hands, making the moment as romantic and memorable for them.  An older gentleman with his cane was being helped by his companion, smile on his face, happy to be there.

At last the sun woke up and started to rise, higher and higher into the sky, lighting it very quickly, moving between the pillars of the temple.  Light in the sky and darkness still shadowing parts of the ruins.  People quickly exited the area.  It was already hot and it was only 6:30 AM.  Later during the day, we watched a breathtaking sunset at Angkor Wat…pictures can better describe the breathtaking beauty…

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Apr 29 2012

Cambodia: Sunset at Bhaking Hill

My son and I decided to take a trip together.  He needed time away from work and stress and I was having withdrawal pains from not traveling.  Cambodia and Vietnam were on my bucket list so we decided why not.  After much consultation and emails with friends Ames and Marion on recommendations, started to plan.  I researched everything, even speaking to a few travel agents who promised me the world.  Although I explained to each one that I could not do a full day of walking or anything too adventurous, proposals came back the opposite of what I had asked.  Finally, after two weeks of not getting anywhere, decided to plan it myself.  (Job search was on hold.  I mean, really, why bother looking for a job when an adventure was waiting.  I could only focus on one thing and that feeding my need of travel).

We left from San Francisco on a gorgeous day heading for Singapore first to spend one night and early next day to Siem Reap.  We arrived in Singapore, dead tired after a very long flight.  I could barely walk off the plane.  I was in torturous pain.  My right leg was aching with stabbing pains.  The drive from airport to hotel was a complete blur.  Just wanted to get to the room and lie down to wake up to turning around for Siem Reap.

We departed Singapore without any problems.  I barely closed my eyes when we landed in Siem Reap.  Our driver picked us up on time.  So far so good.  It was not difficult at all to go through customs as I had arranged for visas in advance.  I arranged for drivers, tours online via email and prayed that everything will work out.  The drive from the airport to our hotel reminded us so much of the Philippines.  I felt almost like I was there instead of Cambodia.  It was so very hot and humid!

We stayed at the Le Meridien which is a beautiful hotel, with very friendly and courteous staff.  Best of all, very close to the ruins.

On our first day, we opted to do the sunset at Bhaking Hill, along with 300 other people!  Only 300 people were allowed at a time as there were renovations  and it was very small area. It was a very long and dusty walk.  Everyone was competing for the same spots, hoping that it would provide the perfect photo op.  It was very hot.  People were everywhere.  I found a spot to sit and people watch.  Large groups of tourists from China.  Finally the sun started to go down and cameras flashing everywhere.  Faster than the sun setting, people exited.  My son and I walked around a bit more, waiting for the sun to descend to the bowels of wherever it was going.  It was beautiful, different colors changing with each second.

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We walked around admiring the ruins, with sweet memories of a golden sunset.

By ccortez78 • Posted in travel
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